Wrote a column last week about Larry Laverne Jacobsen, a con who has on multiple occasions claimed to be the former Outland Trophy winner from Nebraska. Jacobsen is currently serving time in a federal prison in Texas on a gun charge after he was investigated for fraud and other charges. He isn't a former NFL player, he didn't fly helicopters in Vietnam... basically, his pants appear to be perpetually on fire.

In the wake of the column, I received several emails from readers who had interactions with Jacobsen, who claims to be Larry Paul Jacobson (note the subtle difference of spelling), who really did win the Outland Trophy and play in the NFL.

Here's one from Chris:

This guy is quite a story teller... I sat down with him when he first opened his sign shop and we signed a contract to do some business. OF course he never paid...

He mentioned he used to play for the Patriots. Well, so happens my cousin is Steve Nelson, All-Pro linebacker who played in the '86 Super Bowl against the Bears. I'd get to meet Steve Grogan, Stanley Morgan and those guys as a kid. Pretty cool.

I asked him if he knew him, and he busts right in with a big grin and says, "How is old Stevie? What's he up to these days?"

He didn't even miss a beat, but I will say that nobody called him Stevie, that's for sure :)

What a piece of work.

Here's one from Marc:

I leased this guy an airplane hangar in Newberg. After he signed papers and filled hangar with plane, corvette and a jeep. He missed a payment right away and started immediately with the stories. I googled his name and came across your column and read the story. Next day I parked a dump truck in front of hangar. I got to keep his jeep for back rent and courts got the rest of his stuff. Just wanted you to know that you cost him big time, and saved me some money. Great job. Love the bft, listen everyday.

Here's one from Scott:

I read with amusement your piece on Larry Jacobsen. Through a dear friend
who owns a sign shop in Wilsonville, I had met Jacobsen when he owned his own
sign company here. He immediately began telling me how he had played with the
Los Angeles Rams in the 60’s and 70’s. Unfortunately for him, I grew up going to
to every Rams home game as a kid and had virtually memorized the roster during
those years. When I began rattling off names and details of that era, along with
peppering him with questions, I noticed an odd discomfort in him. He immediately
shut down and changed the subject.

Shortly after that my friend ran into major money issues over some
subcontracting he had done with Jacobsen’s company and couldn’t get payment for
his work. The lid blew off his elaborate scam not days later.

I applaud your efforts at confronting his fraud, though I think it a little
harsh to say “blame those dumb enough to be scammed.” The guy was, like you say,
“charismatic” and likeable on first meeting—if you were the type, like my
friend, who aren’t cynical enough to think poorly of others until they prove
otherwise, you became an innocent victim. Who ever assumes they’re speaking to a
pathological liar?

Anyway, any time I see this guy’s name, I think back on that chance meeting
and his dis-ease at my intimate knowledge of the team he claimed as his own. My
tip off was when he didn’t even recognize the nickname “Fearsome Foursome.”
Hmmmm....